


One Movie at a Time

by oneawkwardcookie



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Disney References, Domesticity, Feelings Realization, Fluff, M/M, Movie Night, Pre-Relationship Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:28:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24313540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneawkwardcookie/pseuds/oneawkwardcookie
Summary: The world started when Buck was born, and Eddie is having none of it. There’s only one way to fix this: Disney movies.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 212





	One Movie at a Time

“You’ve never seen Snow White!”

Buck doesn’t think he’s ever heard Eddie this high pitched, his incredulous expression matched by Christopher’s look of confusion.

“I – no, I haven’t seen anything from before the 90s.” He shrugs, as though it makes sense.

“Okay, that’s just – how have you never seen Rambo?! Actually, forget that,” Eddie shakes his head, as though to get rid of the movie list that’s forming in his head, “you clearly had a terrible childhood so why would you -” Eddie catches himself, as Buck wilts in front of him, bright eyes suddenly dull and downturned.

A look of concern replaces the fond teasing. It takes Christopher walking over and hugging his leg for his shoulders to soften, but he still doesn’t look at either of them.

“Right, movie night then. Christopher, go grab some chips from the cupboard.” Christopher untangles himself from Buck’s legs and, shooting a bright smile at them both, leaps off into the kitchen.

Buck finally looks up, eyes a little wild and skittish, “It’s getting late, you’ll want to –”

Eddie cuts him off with a hand to the shoulder, eyes chasing his until they settle a little.

“Stay,” his thumb brushes against Buck’s neck, feeling his pulse skitter, “I think we should start with Mary Poppins: Christopher hasn’t seen it either.”

He makes his way over to the couch, hoping that Buck will follow him. As he fiddles with the TV remote, he feels a reassuring dip from the other side of the couch and lets out a quiet sound of relief. Christopher falls in between them, and there’s plenty of shuffling before they get comfortable.

Maybe it’s the movie, which has everyone laughing and gasping, or the weariness from the day or the heaviness of words left unsaid, but by the time the credits start rolling, Buck is slumped backwards, with Christopher leaning against him. Eddie allows himself a moment to look, before scooping up Christopher in his arms and putting him to bed.

By the time he comes back, Buck has fallen further into the middle of the couch and started snoring, each snuffle tilting him further to the left. Eddie shuffles over and manages to grab a cushion, getting it into position just in time for Buck to become fully horizontal.

He pulls the blanket from where it has fallen under the coffee table and sets it gently over Buck, fingers twitching at the instinct to tuck the edges under where his chin has fallen onto his chest. Before he can start to wonder too much about what it means for Buck to be able to sleep so soundly, he straightens up and walks away, back to his room.

After Mary Poppins is Snow White, then Peter Pan. Between the mid-movie pillow fights (Buck and Christopher giggle as he gets caught unawares by a pillow that Chris swings to imitate the mining action of the dwarves) or spilled snacks (Buck sweeps Christopher up and imitates the flying children on the screen, Christopher’s excited legs sending popcorn flying into the fireplace), or calls for an encore by Christopher (he can blame the snacks and songs for that), the night keeps ending late, with Buck sprawled out over his couch.

By the time they’re coming to the end of Cinderella, Eddie looks over and sees Buck starting to nod off. He reaches over and nudges an arm against Buck’s shoulder, who jolts and looks over with a sleepy smile. He leans over and whispers, “Can’t have you falling asleep on my couch again.”

A look of guilt flushes Buck’s neck and widens his eyes, but before he can stumble through an apology for overstepping, Eddie powers on.

“You’ll hurt your neck and you’re too tall to sleep comfortably on this.” He can’t maintain eye contact so settles on looking at Christopher’s head. “There’s extra pillows on my bed and spare pyjamas behind the bathroom door.” He flicks his eyes forward. Even with the TV turning darker and only the dim backlight of the lamp, Buck’s blush is obvious out of the corner of his eyes.

The credits have started rolling, so Eddie turns to Christopher, who’s still somehow awake. “Right, time to get ready for bed.” Buck pulls his legs in so that father and son can manoeuvre between him and the coffee table, and stays curled up as Eddie clears the snacks and Christopher potters around the bathroom. It takes Christopher nudging into him for Buck to look up.

“I’ve got something to show you!”

Buck can’t help the smile that spreads across his face as Christopher takes his hand and drags him over to the noticeboard in his room.

“It’s the one at the top: it’s us.” Buck leans against the doorframe as he looks in the top right corner. In vibrant crayon, it’s him and Christopher, matching green shirt and trousers, pointy hats atop each of their heads.

“Peter Pan.” Buck smiles as he recognises the look from the other night.

“Yep, except we don’t have red hair, so I had to change that.” Buck chuckles at the matching yellow curls that peek out from under the caps.

“Looks great buddy – you’ve got a real eye for these things.” Christopher pulls him in for another hug and Buck ruffles his hair.

“Good night Buck.”

“Good night superman.”

Eddie catches the exchange from the kitchen and can’t help smiling into the sink. He’s done with the dishes, and when he turns around, he’s faced with Buck, silhouetted against the hallway light, t-shirt and shorts just a little on the small side for him. Eddie dries his hands again, and steps forwards as Buck turns sideways.

Buck follows Eddie down the corridor, a careful two paces behind. Eddie sits on the edge of the left side of the bed, and looks up to see Buck still hovering in the doorway.

“Come on,” he says, peeling back the neatly tucked-in sheets and flicking on his bedside lamp. Buck shuffles in, and Eddie gets under the duvet. He braces himself as Buck lowers himself onto the bed, rustling a little before going stock still. Eddie turns towards the door, shoulders as tense as he feels, until he feels Buck sink into the bed a little.

Eddie exhales slowly, the seconds becoming minutes as he stares at his cupboard and waits for…something.

Once Buck starts snoring, Eddie smiles and closes his eyes too, reaching out a hand to flick off the light switch and succumb to slumber.

Movie night becomes a regular feature of their free time.

After The Little Mermaid, Buck reaches down into his gym bag and pulls out a toothbrush. Eddie can’t help the bubbling laugh that bursts out of him, to which Buck launches into a speech about how he did some research and this electric toothbrush is the best in the market, and how important dental health is – “bad teeth can give you a heart attack, Eddie.”

All Eddie can do is nod and make a mental reminder to book a dentist’s appointment. In the morning, he can’t help but stare at the three toothbrushes lined up on the bathroom windowsill.

After Beauty and the Beast, Buck pulls out an old t-shirt and faded shorts. Eddie folds away the new t-shirt and shorts that he’d put onto the bed as Buck finishes the washing up in his kitchen.

Before he leaves in the morning, Eddie scoops them up from where they’re folded on the bed, and puts them in a little space he’s cleared in his cupboard, on top of the spares.

The credits roll on Sleeping Beauty but Christopher is still far too restless. Memories of the day before still hang heavy over Buck, even though he’d had a few soft laughs at the scenes with the three fairies. Following a long bedtime story (one without dragons) and an even longer good night hug, Eddie makes his way to his own room.

Buck is already settled into bed. He’s left the lamp on at Eddie’s side and is curled up under half of the blanket. He looks so much at home that Eddie doesn’t want to cross the threshold.

The Jungle Book is Eddie’s favourite, and he can’t bring himself to hold back as he mouths along to some of the dialogue. He also can’t hold back his sideways glances at Buck throughout the movie, cataloguing every smile and laugh and crinkled expression of emotion. They’re up to the scene where King Louie’s palace is crumbling, when Chris turns to him and shouts, “Dad, you’re just like Bagheera, and Buck is like Baloo!”

Eddie blinks multiple times, as Buck chuckles, “Does that make you Mowgli then?”

“This is our man village then – we just need some bananas.”

Eddie’s released from his stunned silence by the wave of pride that fills him, at his smart and funny kid. If he holds on to him when Shere Khan makes an appearance, then no one can be blamed, but he still can’t help but think he should say something to Buck, who also seems to be utterly engrossed in the flames that spread across the television.

“It was inevitable Baloo, the boy couldn’t help himself, it was bound to happen.” Eddie shoots another glance towards Buck, only to catch eyes with him. The moment drags on, as the bear and the panther dance off into the sunset.

As silence falls, the magic is broken and Eddie busies himself with getting Chris put to bed. With a “good night Mowgli,” “good night Bagheera,” he switches off the light.

Buck is still awake, looking up at the ceiling in contemplative silence. He turns towards Eddie as he makes his way into the room, waiting for Eddie to get settled before speaking.

“Was that the last one?”

Eddie wants to lie and say: no, there’s so many that are live action, or a mix, and then there’s animated movies from other studios, and we can watch newer ones, then we can go through my movie list for you because you’ve missed out on so much. 

What comes out instead is “Yes.”

Eddie tries not to read anything in Buck’s expression, except it feels so much like his own disappointment that he can’t help but turn round, unwilling to face his reflection.

Their shift finishes at 3pm and Christopher had told him last night that he wanted to watch Finding Dory with Buck. Shouting their goodbyes to the rest, Buck automatically follows him to his car and settles into his passenger seat. They drive over together, a pleasant silence between them as the radio plays a summery tune.

Buck pulls Christopher into a hug when they get to the part about just keep swimming, and Eddie’s hand ends up trapped between them for the rest of the movie. He doesn’t say anything.

Eddie spends longer than he realises in the bathroom, staring at his own reflection as he remembers the tsunami and the dogged perseverance that had kept Buck swimming and searching for Christopher.

Blinking back a few tears, he walks round to Christopher’s bedroom, only to find Buck putting Christopher to bed. Eddie lingers against the door as he watches Buck sit on the end of the bed. Christopher shows off his teeth, and Buck high fives him with a “good job” and Eddie’s heart swells.

When he walks over to his room, it feels empty.

Christopher is at a sleepover, but they’d ended up back at Eddie’s again. Eddie had jokingly planned for them to watch Robin Hood but they just end up sipping beers and talking – about the day and Christopher and the latest book Buck was reading and their firehouse family's lives. The hours disappear, the sun rolls down and the room darkens, as they slump further into the couch.

Eddie wakes with a slight crick in his neck, and as he lifts up his head slowly, he pauses. Turning incrementally, he catches the sight of Buck, luminescent in the moonlight streaming from the windows opposite. They’d fallen asleep and fallen into each other, and, he realises with a skip in his heartbeat, he’d fallen for him.

Buck starts awake as Eddie accidentally moves his shoulder.

“What’s wrong Eds?” His voice is sleep rough, rumbling in his ear as Buck remains pressed into his side.

“Nothing,” he replies with a tone of surprised reverence.

Buck tilts his head up to look at him, and holds his gaze.

“What are you thinking?”

“It’s you.”

“Of course it’s me,” eyebrows pinching in confusion.

“No, I mean… you’re the one, the one I’ve been looking for.”

Realisation and relief chase each other in Buck’s eyes. Eddie can see the cogs turning and clenches his left hand, praying hard.

“It was you all the time.” Eddie’s convinced he’s still dreaming: that pure smile and quick wit and endless blue eyes seem unreal.

Buck gets up and holds his hand out, pulling him up as they make their way to their bed, and this time, crossing the threshold doesn’t break the fantasy.

Coda:

It’s a Saturday night and they’re watching Enchanted. Buck had smiled at his feet when Eddie suggested it. They’re all squished on Buck’s sofa, Christopher curled into his left side, Buck holding his right hand in his lap. Eddie keep looking over and pressing kisses to Buck’s cheek, and he’s still caught off guard by Buck turning his cheek at the last moment.

“The power of true love’s kiss.” It’s Eddie’s turn to blush now, at his fairytale ending.

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [@theladyandthewolves](http://www.theladyandthewolves.tumblr.com) on Tumblr for sharing my obsession with house layouts and helping me work out where the TV goes and what the rest of the living room looks like.
> 
> Let me know what movie you think would be their favourite (individually or together)!
> 
> *****
> 
> Not sure why I seem to keep writing mostly from Eddie’s perspective when I am basically Buck irl (on all levels except physical), but that’s something to work out with my therapist.
> 
> The song on the radio when they’re in the car is [Dagny – Come Over](https://youtu.be/XQiGNAeEv7c/).
> 
> Was this also an excuse to rewatch some Disney? Maybe.  
> Did I get a little emotional thinking of how Eddie would react to the scene with Colonel Haathi? Maybe.  
> Am I tempting fate by publishing something related to Disney in this day and age? Umm... (no copyright infringement intended, covered by fair use, etc.)


End file.
